basic goodness

Soul Scrub Anyone?

March 25th, 2010

Lately, I’ve been taking time to get more conscious about time.

I’m thinking not only about what I long to spend time doing, but how I want to be in that time.

By being in time, I mean what qualities I want to bring to what I do, when I’m doing it.  I’m wanting qualities like presence, receptivity, love, acceptance, clarity, openness.

Amidst contemplating what helps me cultivate those inner states, a memory surged up from when I was nine years old. (*Which I know, has to be relevant or it wouldn’t have popped up so randomly and insistently.)

Must-be-related memory: It was the first day of sailing lessons, and my friends and I are clamoring into the sailing-room, waiting to find out which of the yacht club’s Blue Jays we would get to sail.

I am excited, anxious and really, really hoping they are going to tell us what we’re supposed to do if we capsize. Because I want to know what to do. And the instructors are smiling suspiciously, an inside joke written all over their faces. I feel hurt. I want to know what they are smiling about.

And then, surprise! From behind the instructor’s back comes a sponge, and a bottle of Soft Scrub.

Ohhhh, I get it…Instead of finding out which Blue Jay we were going to sail, we were waiting to find out which Blue Jay we would get to clean.

“Here you go,” grinned my instructor, “Now make it sea-worthy.”

Yes, relevance! Those sailing instructors were on to something!

Because for me, a colossal cleaning effort is like a massive soul scrub. Get the sailboat ship-shape, and you get the sailor ready for voyage.

When I clean out clutter, and open up space, my lungs seem to fill with more air, my mind has more openness and ease, and my heart is shinier.

House and garden-work, when I perform it in a big and intentional way, clears out inner gunk and cobwebs, moves stagnant energy, and helps me let go of no-longer-necessary-stuff.

After a good inner rinse, I seem to have more time. I can bring more clarity and meaning to the time I am in. (Note: This does NOT work when I approach housework begrudgingly, detachedly, or act all holier than it.)

Thank-you, memory! You made my mission clear.

It was time for a massive and mindful soul scrub, starting with my favorite de-cluttering tool-of-all-time, the Felco #7 garden pruner.

Two weeks later, my garden is ship-shape (pruned, weeded and poised to pop with spring growth), my closet is full of air and ease, and drawer by drawer, I’m properly stowing what’s left.

I’ve delivered 4 hefty bags to Good Will, recycled about 6 shopping bags worth of old papers, and…I sang sea-shanties all the while. (Nope, not kidding. ) And I’m not done yet. Note to self: Learn more sea shanties.

Inside, I am feeling readier and steadier for voyage. I am feeling more open, clear, and grounded.  (Like my plants! Pruned, weeded and poised to pop with spring growth.)

I’d really like to maintain this refreshing glowy-glow. So, inspired by Kelly, I made a list.

Here are some other things that give my soul a good scrub and open up time:

• Taking an intense yoga class with backbends, inversions and lots of core work (mmmm)
• Running in warm rain
• Cuddling my sons
• Sharpening an odd number of pencils with my electric pencil sharpener and arranging them just so in my pretty pencil cup
• Reading just about any poem by Mary Oliver
• Making a teary-happy connection with another human being
• Singing glam rock songs in my car

I’d bet you have your own list of soul-scrubbing, time-opening, invite-in-some-ease kinds of things.

I’m curious, what’s on your list? And is it time to get a sponge, a sloshy bucket, and give yourself a good inner rinse? (Singing sea shanties while scrub-a-dubbing highly recommended.)